COSTA MESA, Calif. – November 13, 2012 – The Board of Directors of the American Dental Association Foundation unanimously elected Cindy Hearn, senior vice president, brand strategy for CareCreditSM, to serve a four-year term during its September meeting. The decision was announced by Foundation President David Whiston, D.D.S. on September 30.
For the past five years, Hearn has worked closely with the ADA as a board member of its Give Kids a Smile® program. Her expertise in brand development, management, marketing and communications has been an asset in helping Give Kids a Smile expand its public awareness and services in communities across America. Members of the Board of Directors for the ADA Foundation have also collaborated with Hearn as a subject matter expert and resource for other initiatives, leading to her election to a four-year term.
“I’m passionate about using my time away from work to give back to my community through youth outreach,” said Hearn. “I’m honored to be elected to serve on the ADA Foundation’s Board of Directors and contribute to its success. Having worked at CareCredit and with the Give Kids a Smile program, I know how poor oral health can impact children and families, so it is both challenging and exciting to help support the important goals and initiatives of the ADA Foundation.”
“We look forward to the insight and inspiration Cindy will bring to the ADA Foundation,” said Dr. David Whiston, president, ADA Foundation. “We have made many changes and improvements and are entering a very exciting time for the Foundation. Cindy has worked closely with us on Give Kids a Smile and continues to bring energy, enthusiasm and capabilities to our programs that help underserved children and adults access the oral care they need.”
An experienced marketing professional, Hearn’s background includes positions with some of the country’s most well-respected companies, and her current role as senior vice president, brand strategy for CareCredit, a healthcare credit card and the founding donor of the Give Kids a Smile Fund. During her 13-year tenure at CareCredit, Hearn has been instrumental in the growing the business through provider enrollments. Prior to joining CareCredit, she was vice president, brand communications for Taco Bell Corporation, spearheading the acclaimed $200 million ‘Yo Quiero” campaign, which featured the memorable talking Chihuahua. Hearn has also held key marketing and strategy positions at Sprint PCS and Union Oil (Unocal 76).
About the ADA Foundation
The ADA Foundation is a catalyst for connecting people and changing lives. In its history, the ADA Foundation has disbursed nearly $36.5 million to support charitable activities. These include grants for dental research and access to care, awards and scholarships. In addition, the ADA Foundation supports charitable assistance programs such as relief grants to dentists and their dependents that are unable to support themselves due to injury, a medical condition or advanced age; and grants to dentists who are victims of disasters. For more information, visit www.adafoundation.org.
About CareCredit
For 25 years CareCredit has been making it easy for patients to receive desired care. Today, CareCredit is available in nearly 170,000 enrolled healthcare practices and has been used by millions of patients. CareCredit is exclusively selected for their members by many state and national dental associations, including ADA Business ResourcesSM, AGD, AAOMS, and AAP, and is also recommended by leading practice management educators
ADA is a registered trademark of the American Dental Association. ADA Business Resources is a service mark of the American Dental Association. ADA Business Resources is a program brought to you by ADA Business Enterprises, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Dental Association.
